The Trinidad and Tobago Linux Users Group and the FLOS Caribbean Conference

A conversation with one of the conference's organizers about the state of free and open source.

With the date drawing close for the
FLOS Caribbean
conference, which began yesterday, June 25, it had been
quite busy down here in Trinidad and Tobago. Last minute
preparations and adaptations were being made as quickly as
possible, and there was no doubt the FLOS Caribbean conference
would be a success in its own right.

A quiet man who is noted for his knowledge and ability to
carry two or more bags anywhere in Trinidad, as well as a rolled up
newspaper for the mailing list, Richard Jobity took the time to
give us an interview. He's the President of the Trinidad and Tobago
Linux User Group (TTLUG), and one of the main organizers of this
conference.

LJ: Where do you see FLOS
[being used] in Trinidad and Tobago now?

RJ: FLOS in Trinidad and
Tobago... well, it's like the secret beach or undiscovered
hideaway. It exists, and those who know it know it's great, but
they don't necessarily want others to come along and spoil the cool
thing they've got going.

People implement and use FLOS and gain the benefits and the
savings, but they don't go out of their way to tell people they use
and implement it. Sometimes it seems as if they are afraid of
jeopardizing their existing agreements with proprietary software
sellers or don't want to be seen as doing anything different, in
the event of a failed implementation. Unfortunately, doing things
differently is not seen as an asset.

LJ: What specific challenges
do you see to FLOS in Trinidad and Tobago, as well as in the
Caribbean?

RJ: The big challenge? The
existing cultural mores that see nothing wrong with theft of
software. With proprietary software being used illegally, there is
no real incentive among the majority of [people] to use FLOS
software. Legal and licensed use--apart from software legally
bundled with computer systems (operating systems and utilities
bundled on purchase of a new PC usually)--is not common among home
users, and it exists only among corporate users because of the
penalties under the law for noncompliance.

More ominously, when you have people committing large sums of
money to gain certification for a company's products, you will not
find these people trying anything different, [let alone]
recommending anything else.

Also, the lack of "someone to call in an office" is a huge
barrier. Bosses believe their standard software options give them
security. Peer support simply does not appeal to them.

LJ: What would you like to
see the conference accomplish?

RJ: A lot of things--me
being ambitious again. First of all, to announce to the Trinidad,
Tobago and Caribbean IT community that there is an alternative to
the proprietary status quo. Secondly, to let people know about the
local and regional options out there. Before the virtual alliances
can be made, people need to know they exist and meet at a neutral
venue. I would like to think that FLOS Caribbean can provide that
venue.

Developers need a venue where they can meet and talk, even if
they do not yet grasp the need to work together on common problems.
Like sysadmins and trainers, they need to realize the benefits of
collaboration to fix problems and improve the store of
knowledge.

Accomplish? I've gotten some bites from people from some of
our local government bodies who want to meet further to discuss
what FLOS can do for them.

LJ: What do you see as the
bigger picture of FLOS in Trinidad and Tobago, as well as in the
Caribbean?

RJ: Independence, taking our
place in the world of creators rather than simply being consumers
of lowest-common-denominator consumer IT. Awareness, actually. The
standard solution is not always the best one. If it makes people
think, so much the better.

LJ: How do you see the TTLUG
working toward the bigger picture?

RJ: We're the gateway. We
show people the technology, and the people who attend can take it
further in their organizations. When they're ready, we show them
the cool stuff or turn them on to who can carry them
further.

Many of these things already are coming to be as the
conference approaches.
Presentation College, a
secondary school in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago is in the
process of evaluating FLOS for its students and administration. The
Trinidad and Tobago National Library is rumored to be considering
Koha for the library
system. Most surprising to all involved with the conference was a
recent revelation that
Computers and
Controls and its technology partner Hewlett Packard will be
launching the Linux Initiative in Trinidad and Tobago on June 25th,
2003. This was a bit of a surprise, because the FLOS Caribbean
conference has been well advertised, and one would think Computers
and Controls would have been active in the FLOS Caribbean
conference. Still, it's good news for Linux in Trinidad and Tobago
and hopefully won't be diminished.

Taran Rampersad is a
freelance writer and multiplatform FLOS developer; he also is a
signer of the "Hey SCO, Sue Me" petition. He's presenting at the
FLOS Caribbean conference and can be reached through
his web site.